A modern take on a classic
SOME things just turn out right — like the story of the mirror in this immaculately restored Cork City home.
After starting renovations on his purchase of a very original home in Cork’s St Luke’s Cross 18 years ago, the current owner spotted a mirror in Fitzpatrick’s second hand shop on George’s Quay. He proudly brought it home, and prepared to put it over the dining room fireplace when, incredibly enough, he found the holes for mounting it exactly fitted holes in the chimney breast. A next door neighbour came in and confirmed that, yes, he’d bought back the very same mirror that had been taken out when the house was sold. On reflection, it’s staying put for the next occupants, now that the house is for sale by its trading down owner.
A fastidious approach was taken to the salvation of 5, Knocklaun, a stand-out Edwardian era private home with outstanding views thanks to its elevation above St Luke’s Cross.
Work started on overhauling this three-storey classic in 1995, with enormous attention to detail, and in the past decade, well, it’s all been enjoyment of the finished result, and regular polishing. It gleams.
Only coming to market as its owner is down-sizing, No 5 is for sale with agents Mark Gosling and Jeremy Murphy, who are equally enraptured by its appeal, and who pin a price guide of €295,00 to its many merits.
Replete with much old stripped pine and pitch pine — the sort that, unlike knotty modern pretenders, will never date — fully restored and draught-proofed sash windows, all original tiling and six original fireplaces, retained old servants’ bells and re-done old light switches, it’s as beguiling as anyone harking after a period home might want.
Location is just above St Luke’s Cross, on an upper tier above the city end of the Ballyhooley Road, it’s aloof aloft, with the added bonus of a secondary, rear garden access from the sublime Crescent (off Gardiner’s Hill) behind. The city centre’s only a walk, while St Luke’s has great creature comforts, from take-aways to a gourmet deli/local shop, and famed Henchy’s bar, another time-piece in its own right.
There’s a neighbourly feel, even more so on this extra remove from the road, and No 5 is low-key about its charms, ’though the restored sash frames (by Conserve-a-Sash) do hold out the delivered promise of internal care. It’s been re-wired, plumbed, and re-roofed too, a thorough top to tail conservation job.
Everything is spit and polish, scents superior to Mansion wax, and tiles that have been buffed for decades: the kitchen, in particular, is a quirky gem, with high-glaze blue and white wall tiles (similar to the old Eglinton Street baths), and a retained brick hearth, with museum-quality blackened pot-bellied range/stove, not currently working, but still in pride of place.
Off the gleaming tiled hall are two interconnected reception rooms, with west and east aspect, and specially fitted sliding pine dividing door means they can be used separately, or together.
There’s a further, full-width (18’ by 12’) drawing room or fourth bedroom, up on the first floor level for evening tranquility, with two sash windows and St Luke’s rooftops views, with master bedroom behind, east-facing for morning sun, and overlooking an immaculate yard, old-world outhouses and steep back garden clambering up to the Crescent.
Each of the top floor’s two more bedrooms have original fireplaces, and decor levels up here are as good as on the lower two floors; there’s a sanctuary feel up here, on high.
Out almost on its own, on the generous-sized and bright stair return, are the adjoining shower room and bathroom, with the original pine sheeting stripped back to its natural look, and waxed and polished giving a honey-hue to these two spaces. Sanitary ware such an old WC, cast iron bath, and deep ceramic sink continue the integrity of period home feel, with modern plumbing comforts.
No 5 Knocklaun’s a polished gem, inside and out, in great order for its age and everything works as it should. The off-road setting gives this special terraced home an extra air of detachment, and now that supermarkets do door to door deliveries and on-line orders, that’s a further boon for those living in the city’s upper echelons.
St Luke’s Cross, Cork city
€295,000
Sq m 135 (1,450 sq ft)
3/4
1/2
Exempt
Huge integrity and period detailing
There’s an air of care to 5 Knocklaun, roll up, roll up.
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